Heading to Bell Centre, Bruins try to avoid playing into Canadiens' hands

This second-round series has been a wild one, and that's even before the Bruins and Canadiens have hit the ice at the rollicking Bell Centre.

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By Dan CagenDaily News staff

The Taunton Daily Gazette, Taunton, MA

By Dan CagenDaily News staff

Posted May. 5, 2014 at 6:21 PM
Updated May 6, 2014 at 8:54 AM

By Dan CagenDaily News staff

Posted May. 5, 2014 at 6:21 PM
Updated May 6, 2014 at 8:54 AM

» Social News

BOSTON — Comebacks make for raucous buildings and record television ratings. This second-round series has been a wild one, and that's even before the Bruins and Canadiens have hit the ice at the rollicking Bell Centre.

"They have 21,000 people cheering them on, and for some reason it always feels like they're getting a lot of power plays and we're on PK all the time," David Krejci said Monday morning, shortly before he and his teammates boarded a plane that took them to Quebec for Tuesday's Game 3. "We're not complaining or anything like that. But you know it feels like that. So we've just got to go out there and put your mind into the game you're playing and not think about the other stuff."

The first two games were split at TD Garden. Montreal won in double-overtime in Game 1, and the Bruins' late rally earned them a Game 2 victory. Removing empty-netters from the equation, each side has scored seven goals.

Yet the Bruins will note they've had 161 of the 273 shot attempts in the series, including 98 of the 156 in Game 1. Overall that's 59 percent for the series.

And still, in goals and wins, this series couldn't be closer. The Bruins were generous guests on Causeway Street, handing the Habs the puck on a platter, and when that wasn't enough, they'd head to the penalty box.

Of Montreal's seven goals in the series, four have come on the power play. The other three are the direct result of turnovers by the Bruins.

Playing smart, controlled 5-on-5 hockey is what the Bruins do, the way they smother opponents. Losing players and the puck at the wrong moment gives the Habs oxygen.

"I think obviously the penalties don't help," said Dougie Hamilton, who committed two of them in Game 2. "Their power play right now, it kind of hurts us. I think in the second period (of Game 2), we were turning too many pucks over at the offensive blue line. As a D-man, we couldn't get our changes really, and that was hurting us a lot too."

Rene Bourque turned a Johnny Boychuk pass in Torey Krug's skates into a transition goal in Game 1. Francis Bouillon was the beneficiary when Krejci failed to account for Brian Gionta behind the Boston net later that night. In Game 2, Brad Marchand's failed dangle around Brendan Gallagher led to Mike Weaver's score.

"We do simple things instead of being fancy, we have better success," Boychuk said. "And everybody knows it. As soon as we start trying to do things out of the ordinary and try to be flashy, it doesn't work."

In Game 2, the Bruins lost their cool too. They were called for nine penalties, some questionable, others deserved. Coach Claude Julien noted that there was a "lot of crap that we put up with."

Page 2 of 2 - Once a Bruin has finished mouthing off to the referee and taken his seat in the box, the Habs go to work. They're 4 for 9 on the power play in the series.

P.K. Subban has points on all four of Montreal's man-up goals. He scored twice from the point in Game 1 and Thomas Vanek tipped in a pair of Subban looks in Game 2. Subban is one of the best power-play quarterbacks in the game. The Bruins aren't as concerned with taking away space as making sure his shots don't get close to goalie Tuukka Rask.

"I think it's not too much room — I think it's his shot is allowed to get through," Julien said. "That's where we got to get better. We have just got to take away that shooting lane. … That's a guy who's putting pucks in the right place. So give him credit for that, but at the same time, we have got to do a better job because I think all four goals have basically come from that part of their power play."

There's no expectation that the Bruins will get more calls on their side at the Bell Centre.

"We've got to be disciplined," Thornton said. "For whatever reason, in that building it always seems to be a couple things. What did Harry (Sinden) used to say? Somebody else quote it, because I don't think I can."

A reporter helped him out. "Death, taxes and the first penalty in Montreal."